Generosity In Giving

1 And now we give you news, brothers, about the grace of God which has been given to the churches of Macedonia;

1 Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been (A)given in the churches of (B)Macedonia,

1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God granted to the churches(A) of Macedonia:(B)

1 We want you to know, brothers, about God's grace that was given to the churches of Macedonia.

2 How while they were undergoing every sort of trouble, and were in the greatest need, they took all the greater joy in being able to give freely to the needs of others.

2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the (C)wealth of their liberality.

2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

2 During a severe testing by affliction, their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed into the wealth of their generosity.(C)

2 In spite of their terrible ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and deep poverty have led them to be abundantly generous.

3 For I give them witness, that as they were able, and even more than they were able, they gave from the impulse of their hearts,

3 For I testify that (D)according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,

3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

3 I testify that, on their own, according to their ability and beyond their ability,

3 I can testify that by their own free will they have given to the utmost of their ability, yes, even beyond their ability.

4 Seriously requesting us that they might have a part in this grace of being servants to the needs of the saints:

4 begging us with much urging for the (E)favor (a)of participation in the (b)(F)support of the (c)saints,

4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

4 they begged us insistently for the privilege of sharing(D) in the ministry to the saints,

4 They begged us earnestly for the privilege of participating in this ministry to the saints.

5 And going even farther than our hope, they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us after the purpose of God.

5 and this, not as we had (d)expected, but they first (G)gave themselves to the Lord and to us by (H)the will of God.

5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

5 and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves especially to the Lord, then to us by God’s will.(E)

5 We did not expect that! They gave themselves to the Lord first and then to us, since this was God's will.

6 So that we made a request to Titus that, as he had made a start before, so he might make this grace complete in you.

6 So we (I)urged (J)Titus that as he had previously (K)made a beginning, so he would also complete in you (L)this gracious work as well.

6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.

6 So we urged Titus that just as he had begun, so he should also complete this grace to you.

6 So we urged Titus to finish this work of kindness among you in the same way that he had started it.

7 And that as you are full of every good thing, of faith, of the word, of knowledge, of a ready mind, and of love to us, so you may be full of this grace in the same way.

7 But just as you (M)abound (N)in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the (e)love we inspired in you, see that you (O)abound in this gracious work also.

7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

7 Now as you excel in everything—faith, speech, knowledge,(F) and in all diligence, and in your love for us(a)—excel also in this grace.

7 Indeed, the more your faith, speech, knowledge, enthusiasm, and love for us increase, the more we want you to be rich in this work of kindness.

8 I am not giving you an order, but using the ready mind of others as a test of the quality of your love.

8 I (P)am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.

8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

8 I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love.

8 I am not commanding you but testing the genuineness of your love by the enthusiasm of others.

9 For you see the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, how though he had wealth, he became poor on your account, so that through his need you might have wealth.

9 For you know (Q)the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that (R)though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though He was rich,(G) for your sake He became poor,(H) so that by His poverty you might become rich.

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah. Although he was rich, for your sakes he became poor, so that you, through his poverty, might become rich.

10 And in this I give my opinion: for it is to your profit, who were the first to make a start a year before, not only to do this, but to make clear that your minds were more than ready to do it.

10 I (S)give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin (T)a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it.

10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.

10 Now I am giving an opinion on this because it is profitable for you, who a year ago began not only to do something but also to desire it.(b)(I)

10 I am giving you my opinion on this matter because it will be helpful to you. Last year you were not only willing to do something, but had already started to do it.

11 Then make the doing of it complete; so that as you had a ready mind, you may give effect to it as you are able.

11 But now finish (f)doing it also, so that just as there was the (U)readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.

11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

11 But now finish the task(c) as well, that just as there was eagerness to desire it, so there may also be a completion from what you have.

11 Now finish what you began, so that your eagerness to do so may be matched by your eagerness to complete it.

12 For if there is a ready mind, a man will have God's approval in the measure of what he has, and not of what he has not.

12 For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable (V)according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.

12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

12 For if the eagerness is there, it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.(J)

12 For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you do not have.

13 And I am not saying this so that others may get off free, while the weight comes on you:

13 For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality—

13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

13 It is not that there may be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality(d)

13 Not that others should have relief while you have hardship. Rather, it is a question of fairness.

14 But so that things may be equal; that from those things of which you have more than enough at the present time their need may be helped, and that if you are in any need they may be a help to you in the same way, making things equal.

14 at this present time your abundance being a supply for (W)their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for (X)your need, that there may be equality;

14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

14 at the present time your surplus is available for their need, so their abundance may also become available for our need, so there may be equality.

14 At the present time, your surplus fills their need, so that their surplus may fill your need. In this way things are fair.

15 As it says in the Writings, He who had taken up much had nothing over and he who had little had enough.

15 as it is written, “(Y)He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

15 As it has been written:The person who gathered muchdid not have too much,and the person who gathered littledid not have too little.(K)(e)

15 As it is written, "The person who had much did not have too much, and the person who had little did not have too little."

Arrangements For Administering The Corinthians' Gift

16 But praise be to God, who puts the same care for you into the heart of Titus.

16 But (Z)thanks be to God who (AA)puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of (AB)Titus.

16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.

16 Thanks be to God who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus.

16 But thanks be to God, who placed in the heart of Titus the same dedication to you that I have.

17 For while he gladly gave ear to our request, he was interested enough to go to you from the impulse of his heart.

17 For he not only accepted our (AC)appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord.

17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.

17 For he accepted our urging and, being very diligent, went out to you by his own choice.

17 He welcomed my request and eagerly went to visit you by his own free will.

18 And with him we have sent a brother whose praise in the good news has gone through all the churches;

18 We have sent along with him (AD)the brother whose fame in the things of the (AE)gospel has spread through (AF)all the churches;

18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;

18 We have sent with him the brother(L) who is praised throughout the churches for his gospel ministry.(f)

18 With him we have sent the brother who is praised in all the churches for spreading the gospel.

19 And not only so, but he was marked out by the churches to go with us in the grace of this giving which we have undertaken to the glory of the Lord and to make clear that our mind was ready:

19 (AG)and not only this, but he has also been (AH)appointed by the churches to travel with us in (AI)this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our (AJ)readiness,

19 And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:

19 And not only that, but he was also appointed by the churches to accompany us with this gift(g) that is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help.

19 More than that, he has also been selected by the churches to travel with us while we are administering this work of kindness for the glory of the Lord and as evidence of our eagerness to help.

20 And so that no man might be able to say anything against us in the business of this giving which has been put into our hands:

20 (g)taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift;

20 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:

20 We are taking this precaution so no one can criticize us about this large sum administered by us.

20 We are trying to avoid any criticism of the way we are administering this great undertaking.

21 For the business has been so ordered by us as to have the approval, not only of the Lord, but of men.

21 for we (AK)have regard for what is honorable, not only in (AL)the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

21 For we are making provision(M) for what is right,(N) not only before the Lord but also before men.

21 We intend to do what is right, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of people.

22 And we have sent with them our brother, whose ready spirit has been made clear to us at times and in ways without number, but it is now all the more so because of the certain faith which he has in you.

22 We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you.

22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.

22 We have also sent with them our brother. We have often tested him in many circumstances and found him to be diligent—and now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you.

22 We have also sent with them our brother whom we have often tested in many ways and found to be dedicated. At present he is more dedicated than ever because he has so much confidence in you.

23 If any question comes up about Titus, he is my brother-worker, working with me for you; or about the others, they are the representatives of the churches to the glory of Christ.

23 As for (AM)Titus, he is my (AN)partner and fellow worker (h)among you; as for our (AO)brethren, they are (i)(AP)messengers of the churches, (AQ)a glory to Christ.

23 Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.

23 As for Titus, he is my partner(O) and coworker(P) serving you; as for our brothers, they are the messengers(Q) of the churches, the glory of Christ.(R)

23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker on your behalf. Our brothers, emissaries from the churches, are bringing glory to the Messiah.

24 Make clear then to them, as representatives of the churches, the quality of your love, and that the things which we have said about you are true.

24 Therefore (j)openly before the churches, (k)show them the proof of your love and of our (AR)reason for boasting about you.

24 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

24 Therefore, show them proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting(S) about you.

24 Therefore, demonstrate to the churches that you love them and show them publicly why we boast about you.

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain

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